BBO – Nonlinear laser crystal

Features of nonlinear BBO (ẞ-BaB₂O₄) crystals include wide transparency and wide phase matching ranges, large non-linear coefficient, high damage threshold, and excellent optical homogeneity.

Therefore, BBO provides an attractive solution for various non-linear optical applications like OPO, OPA, OPCPA and others. As a result of large thermal acceptance bandwidth, high damage threshold and small absorption BBO well suits for frequency conversion of high peak or average power laser radiation.

Large spectral transmission range as well as phase matching, especially in UV range, makes BBO perfectly suitable for frequency doubling of Dye, Arion and Copper vapour laser radiation, effective    cascade harmonic generation (Frequency doublers, triplers, parametric amplifiers and wave mixers) of wide spread Nd:YAG as well as of Ti:Sapphire and Alexandrite laser radiation.

Both Type 1 (oo-e) and Type 2 (eo-e) phase-matching angles can be obtained, increasing the number of advantages for different applications.

Features:

• Broad transparency range from 190 nm to 2.5 µm
• High optical homogeneity
• Relatively large effective SHG coefficient (about six times that of KDP)
• 410 nm – 2.5 µm phase-matching range for Type I SHG
• 530 nm – 2.5 µm phase-matching range for Type II SHG

Comparison of bulk damage threshold (@1064 nm, 1.3 ns)

Applications:

• Harmonic generation of high peak power pulsed Nd doped, Ti:Sapphire, Neodymium-doped gain material lasers, frequency doubling of dye and Alexandrite lasers
• 5HG generation of Nd:YAG lasers at 213 nm.
• Widely tunable OPO, OPA, OPCPA of both Type I and Type II phase matching

Application notes:

• Thin crystals for ultrafast application
• Available coatings
  • Multi-layer dielectric laser line, dual-band or broad-band AR coatings
  • Single-layer protective coatings (P-coating) to protect polished surfaces from fogging due to ambient moisture.

Recommended BBO crystal length (mm)

Typical Items